Author Topic: Monster spawns seeming strange?  (Read 28196 times)

Offline SimDing0™

  • Back In Black
  • Global Moderator
  • Planewalker
  • *****
  • Posts: 3496
  • Gender: Male
  • Word Enhancer
Monster spawns seeming strange?
« on: June 15, 2004, 07:04:51 PM »
We had to make some executive decisions on random spawns when deciding how many monsters should spawn, because in BG2 it isn't keyed to party-size.

1) Early monsters, like diseased gibberlings and regular wolves, should show up in small groups, because that's when a level 1 character needs things to be easy.

2) Tougher monsters are generally encountered later on, so we were fairly certain you'd have a full party by that time.  We decided larger groups were better.

Some things to note is that Ghrey didn't check ALL the .cre files as they matched up with the entries in the .2da, so if he decided we'd spawn 1 vampire wolf per random encounter, he may have written down 1 for, say, dire wolves.  Then in the dire wolf area he could've written 3 and you'd wind up with quite a tough battle in that case.  This is just an example, but if you see anything that is REALLY out of whack--10 ettercaps, for instance, or 2 tasloi--report it and we'll see what we can do.

A future version of the fixpack will ensure that the monster spawns are more balanced and faithful to BG1. However, for now, this is how it works.

Offline Ieldra

  • Planewalker
  • *****
  • Posts: 67
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2004, 09:00:08 AM »
If those are the rules, then something strange happened to me:

I encountered groups of 10+ Gibberlings and two Dread Wolves on the first map E of Candlekeep, with a L1 character. I have also been ambushed by about 10 bandits with a L2 character between the Map N of Beregost and the Friendly Arm Inn.

Apart from that, the frequent appearance of 10+ low level enemies regardless of party level is quite annoying. For instance, with a L6 or L7 party, I met two groups of 10+ Gibberlings, killed them, spent about 30 seconds away from that spawn point, came back and found another two groups of 10+ Gibberlings waiting right on the not yet decayed corpses of the previous ones. IIRC, that was on the map far E of Nashkel or E of Nashkel. In the original BG1 I also met the same types occasionally, but neither were groups that size encountered quite as often, nor was it always Gibberlings, Xvarts or Tasloi. You know, I like the occasional Fireball-fodder, but this is too much. It's getting boring. Give me a few tougher enemies, please. I never meet 10 Dread Wolves, for instance, although I think a L7 party with good equipment can handle them easily.



Offline SimDing0™

  • Back In Black
  • Global Moderator
  • Planewalker
  • *****
  • Posts: 3496
  • Gender: Male
  • Word Enhancer
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2004, 10:08:18 AM »
There are rumours that the current implementation is pretty terrible, yes. Bear with us while we get the BG1 spawning restored. It's slow and painful. :)

Offline Ieldra

  • Planewalker
  • *****
  • Posts: 67
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #3 on: September 14, 2004, 03:03:11 AM »
Slow and painful? Does that mean that you have to adjust every spawn point manually, and set the parameters for the "monster generator" so that the "usual" party crossing that area will get an acceptable type of combat? That does sound like a lot of tedious testing - how many spawn points are there in BG1?

Offline icelus

  • Global Moderator
  • Planewalker
  • *****
  • Posts: 3173
  • Gender: Male
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #4 on: September 14, 2004, 11:04:39 AM »
Slow and painful? Does that mean that you have to adjust every spawn point manually, and set the parameters for the "monster generator" so that the "usual" party crossing that area will get an acceptable type of combat? That does sound like a lot of tedious testing - how many spawn points are there in BG1?
In a nutshell, yup... that's about right.  I'm not sure how many spawn points there are, but there's a bunch.  :(
<Moongaze> Luckily BWL has a very understanding and friendly admin.

Paragon

  • Guest
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2004, 05:23:24 AM »
What's the status of this spawn-fix?

I would LOVE to play BG1 using the enhanced graphics and all, but the constant spawning of large groups is killing my fun. Is there anyway to use the BG1 files for spawning only, until a new fixpack is ready?

Offline Echon

  • Global Moderator
  • Planewalker
  • *****
  • Posts: 1944
  • Gender: Male
    • The Fields of the Dead
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2004, 05:32:08 AM »
Tutu uses the same spawn points as BG does. The BG2 engine handles them differently, though, which results in the massive spawns.

-Echon

Paragon

  • Guest
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #7 on: November 03, 2004, 12:36:35 PM »
Okay, thanks for the reply...

But what is the status of this bugfix? When can we expect it to be up.

TIA.

underdog

  • Guest
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #8 on: January 25, 2005, 09:28:22 AM »
That explains the 14 bandits with bows, in a random encounter going between areas, between Nashkel, and Bergost, with level 1 and 2 characters, lost one character before I got the first shot off. :o


Offline drosketer

  • Planewalker
  • *****
  • Posts: 38
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #9 on: January 25, 2005, 10:26:30 AM »
Maybe it's just me, but I've found the spawned challenges refreshing (with a low level party)...   seem to be pulling a lot of the "brave, brave Sir Robin" thing   ;) , but at least it forces you to think and potentially use some different tactics.

underdog

  • Guest
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #10 on: January 25, 2005, 01:15:13 PM »
Theres not much tactics with the one I posted, 14 bandits with bows, that 1-6 per bow, 14-84 points per round they can deal out, the strongest guy had 16 points, 1 down before I even got a shot off, 3 more down after the first round of return fire from me, 1 of them down 13 more to go, 2 of my guys left. Maybe it's just me, but theres not much tactics that can get you out of that that I can think of.
If it's handheld weapons, I have beat that kind of mess, they start going after one guy have him run, let the ranged ones pick them off, you may have to keep running and taking potshots at them, but you will eventually whittle them down.

Offline drosketer

  • Planewalker
  • *****
  • Posts: 38
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #11 on: January 25, 2005, 02:19:37 PM »
Yeah, not much you can do there without the possibility of major hurting coming your way... especially since in some transition areas they form up all around the party (Yep, it's an ambush alright!).  I'd either:
a) Engage them (if I thought I stood a chance of anyone making it out alive - doesn't sound like it here...   :P ).  A useful spell (if anyone has it at this point) is horror / sleep.  Does wonders for groups like that.
b) Run away (realizing that not everyone may make it).  Again, sleep/horror can open up a viable escape corridor.
c) Reload the auto-save the occurred as you left the previous area.

For me, it's been fun trying to stay alive in some of the massive spawn encounters (no abundance of healing potions like before TuTu!).  I've also noticed there is a lot more resting happening than normal.   :)

edit: clarified one of the options...
« Last Edit: January 25, 2005, 02:33:25 PM by drosketer »

underdog

  • Guest
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #12 on: January 26, 2005, 09:20:50 AM »
a) Engage them (if I thought I stood a chance of anyone making it out alive - doesn't sound like it here...   Tongue ).  A useful spell (if anyone has it at this point) is horror / sleep.  Does wonders for groups like that.

Not yet, spells are a little hard to cmoe by yet, Dynahair got 2nd level spells, and couldn't memorize any,
as i hadn't found any to write yet. :(


c) Reload the auto-save the occurred as you left the previous area.
Yep thats what I did.

For me, it's been fun trying to stay alive in some of the massive spawn encounters (no abundance of healing potions like before TuTu!).  I've also noticed there is a lot more resting happening than normal.

I have survived the 10-15 skeleton/ghoul/hobgoblin mess but the massive bandit archer, even 10 kobold archers
will wipe you out fairly quickly, it's the fact that they can hit you immediatly and constantly form a distance that wipes you out, rather then the other way around.
And healing potions are more valuable ten gold, I'm running around with 5-7K gold most of the tiime,
but little or no potions, cleaned the temples out already.

Offline drosketer

  • Planewalker
  • *****
  • Posts: 38
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #13 on: January 26, 2005, 12:14:56 PM »
I think that the wizard at High Hedge(?) sells all manner of wizard scrolls...  might be worth a trip.  As for amusing encounters - my level 1 party ran into a Gibberling ambush in a transition area.  Then their pet basilisk showed up  :o ... I suspect that more than one character had skid marks after that one (yeah, they fled.. and all amazingly survived).   ;D

Testlund

  • Guest
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #14 on: March 10, 2005, 08:35:25 PM »
Can someone tell me how to open the CLUAconsole and what function to use to kill enemies with the mouse pointer? These respawnings makes the game unplayable!  >:(

Offline Ghreyfain

  • PPG
  • Planewalker
  • *****
  • Posts: 4705
  • Gender: Male
    • Pocket Plane Group
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #15 on: March 10, 2005, 08:42:53 PM »
Open baldur.ini.

Add, under [Game Options]:
Cheats=1

In-game, hit ctrl+space, and type:
CLUAConsole:EnableCheatKeys()

Hold your mouse cursor over a bad guy, and hit ctrl+y.
Earn Money Sleeping.

Testlund

  • Guest
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #16 on: March 10, 2005, 08:55:12 PM »
Thanks! Are you working on fixing this issue sometime?

Offline Ghreyfain

  • PPG
  • Planewalker
  • *****
  • Posts: 4705
  • Gender: Male
    • Pocket Plane Group
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #17 on: March 10, 2005, 09:13:17 PM »
You mean to say you haven't noticed me working my ass off to get things fixed?  I've released like three versions in about four days!
Earn Money Sleeping.

Testlund

  • Guest
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #18 on: March 10, 2005, 11:36:35 PM »
I'm not sure what you're working on. The nastiest bug is the degreenifier in my opinion, but you don't seem to have done anything about that in the last 3 versions.

Offline icelus

  • Global Moderator
  • Planewalker
  • *****
  • Posts: 3173
  • Gender: Male
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #19 on: March 11, 2005, 12:27:50 AM »
I think I may have to call in the chihuahuas.
<Moongaze> Luckily BWL has a very understanding and friendly admin.

Offline SimDing0™

  • Back In Black
  • Global Moderator
  • Planewalker
  • *****
  • Posts: 3496
  • Gender: Male
  • Word Enhancer
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #20 on: March 11, 2005, 02:04:05 AM »
I'm not sure what you're working on. The nastiest bug is the degreenifier in my opinion, but you don't seem to have done anything about that in the last 3 versions.
Man. You've reported the bug. If you keep spamming it on every thread then I'll just start deleting your posts, because it's getting distracting. If you have a problem with our support, start a single thread about it and keep your posts confined there. Clear?

Testlund

  • Guest
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #21 on: March 11, 2005, 07:24:23 AM »
Ok. I'm sorry. But that issue DOES spread over several threads, but I wont talk about it again. Ok. About the spawning issue... I have a suggestion. What about making the creatures only respawn if you leave the area and come back again, not by just walking out of sight? Maybe that could be implemented in the future?

Offline Silk

  • Lurker First Class
  • Planewalker
  • *****
  • Posts: 401
  • Gender: Female
  • A cat of many colours
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #22 on: March 11, 2005, 03:46:39 PM »
Just a comment for Testlund ... You seem to expect people to be around to answer your questions AND be working on bugfixes at the same time.  Isn't that a little unrealistic and selfish?  Okay, you're having problems with Tutu monster spawning - get back into the game and work out some tactics.

(Moderators, sorry if this is out of order, I just woke up and I'm sometimes cranky in the mornings.)
"Some say that our destinies may be read in the stars, that the plans of the gods are revealed to those who but know where to look.  They speak it true but their location is false, for I have seen my destiny shining in your eyes" (Anomen, PPG NPC Flirt Pack)

"You know you're tired when you get up from the desk and the headset's still around your neck"

Testlund

  • Guest
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #23 on: March 11, 2005, 04:19:14 PM »
I don't expect any such thing! You missunderstand me. I just thought it was a little odd that a serious bug discovered in Tutufix v10 was still there in version v12. That's all.

Offline SimDing0™

  • Back In Black
  • Global Moderator
  • Planewalker
  • *****
  • Posts: 3496
  • Gender: Male
  • Word Enhancer
Re: Monster spawns seeming strange?
« Reply #24 on: March 11, 2005, 04:33:25 PM »
We're doing our best to fix it, but it's pretty tricky given that we're having to use a tool that wasn't even designed for Tutu. I'm sorry for any inconvenience.

 

With Quick-Reply you can write a post when viewing a topic without loading a new page. You can still use bulletin board code and smileys as you would in a normal post.

Warning: this topic has not been posted in for at least 120 days.
Unless you're sure you want to reply, please consider starting a new topic.

Name: Email:
Verification:
Type the letters shown in the picture
Listen to the letters / Request another image
Type the letters shown in the picture:
What color is grass?:
What is the seventh word in this sentence?:
What is five minus two (use the full word)?: